Join us as we celebrate the art of slow cooking, where patience enhances rich, comforting flavours. A tribute to fresh, quality ingredients and the beauty of cooking at a relaxed pace.

What do you love most about slow cooking, and how did that inspire you to write this book?
I love the fact that it’s easy, simple cooking – once you prep your ingredients, you let the stovetop or oven do its job while you can get on with other things. Cooking slowly was also the preferred method of cooking in my home when I was growing up which inspired me to write this book.

Slow cooking brings back memories of your childhood. Is there a particular dish from your childhood that really takes you back to those days?
Our family ragu always reminds me of home and Sunday lunch when all the family got together at my grandfather’s house – there were often more than 20 people gathered around that big table. The ragu would be prepared the day before by my Aunt Maria who would choose the cuts of meat carefully and together with our lovingly bottled tomatoes, the rich ragu sauce would very slowly bubble away for hours. We would enjoy the rich tomato sauce with fresh handmade ricci pasta made by my mother and older sisters as a first course followed by the meat served with a salad or seasonal greens.

You mention the wonderful smells that fill the house when slow cooking. What’s your favourite smell from the kitchen when you’re making something slowly?
The smell of slow cooked stews and ragus fills the house with warmth and love, but the smell which you can’t beat is freshly baked bread – it’s just the most wonderful and when I make bread at home, I can’t wait to tear it apart, spread some butter and enjoy.

You talk about the transition from cooking over coals and wood to gas stoves. How do you feel this shift has impacted the way people cook, and what can we learn from the older, slower methods?
The slower methods of cooking are the days of our grandparents when the pace of life was much slower; these days we are all in such a hurry. But we can still recreate those slow-cook recipes on our modern-day cookers. Years ago, I had an outdoor kitchen built in my garden in London with a wood-fired oven and stoves where I love to cook at the weekend and holidays. I love the ritual of lighting the fire and waiting for it to be just right and the smell and excitement of the food being cooked. It takes me back to my childhood days when most families cooked like this. Cooking over coals and in wood-fired ovens imparts such a wonderful flavour to everything you cook. Not only breads and pizza taste better, but vegetables, potatoes, roasts and everything you put in it.

Your new book seems to connect food with the feeling of home, warmth, and comfort. What role do you think food plays in creating a sense of family and togetherness?
It is so important to sit down and eat together – even in these busy times, I think every family should take time to share a meal around the table once a day and certainly on Sunday and feast days. It’s also important to cook together and show kids where food comes from, how to cook it and respect it. So when they grow up, they will remember these basic life skills as well as the warmth and comfort of home.

You mention that your mother, grandmother, and sisters often left a ragù or soup gently simmering throughout the day. Are there any specific family recipes you’ve included in your book that are especially close to your heart?
The slow-cooked ragu, La Genovese, a wonderful slow-cooked onion sauce, chickpea soup, pasta and beans and the slow-cooked beef and chicken broths.

Your book covers a range of dishes from stews to breads. Do you have a favourite slow-cooked dish that you believe every home cook should try, and why?
The vegan Bolognese ragu made with lentils, simple and easy to make with storecupboard ingredients. It’s a great one for all the family or to enjoy when friends come round and caters for vegetarians and vegans. You can also make a large batch to freeze.

Do you have a go-to slow-cooked meal when you want to impress guests but keep things stress-free?
The octopus salad – I prepare it the day before and then serve it to my guests with lots of rustic bread. It never fails to impress!!

If you could only slow cook one dish for the rest of your life, what would it be and why?
I love pasta e patate (pasta and potatoes). It’s my go-to comfort food. In The Slow Cookbook, I have a baked version – pasta e patate arraganate al forno.

Finally, if someone is trying slow cooking for the first time from your book, which recipe would you recommend they start with?
One of the stews like the Spezzatino Casalingo – beef and vegetable stew. Simple one-pot cooking and delicious served with some mashed potatoes or polenta. Simple comfort food at its best!

Gennaro Contaldo’s Slow: Easy, Comforting Italian Meals Worth Waiting For (Pavilion Books) is out now.